RFU Affiliation
Affiliation to the RFU (a voting club) provides clubs with certain privileges such as:
- Their own page on the RFUs ‘GMS’ website. GMS allows the RFU to interrogate all clubs affiliated to a Constituent Body to check fixture lists, insurance status and contacts etc.
- The ability to apply for international match tickets
- Attend & vote at the RFU AGM
- Receive the RFU handbook and other publications free of charge
Requirements to be able to Affiliate
- To become an RFU affiliated ‘voting’ club, you must play a minimum of twelve fixtures
- Four of the twelve fixtures must be against other RFU voting clubs as highlighted on the RFU ‘Game Management System’ (GMS) website. These two fixture lists must be included when you submit your affiliation proforma.
Insurance
All clubs playing rugby must have mandatory RFU insurance. This insurance covers players and management for accidental death and specified permanent total disability incurred whilst playing the game, training or travelling to and from a game. Full details can be found on the RFU website at www.RFU.com.
If a club is not affiliated it is not insured. Units that fail to insure their rugby teams face the following consequences:
- The club concerned cannot train or play rugby under the auspices of the RFU
- Officials will not be appointed by the Referee Society to any non-affiliated club games
- Injured players or club officials will not have the ability to claim under the mandatory insurance scheme. Furthermore, clubs could be failing in their duty of care if they permit rugby to be played without insurance cover which may result in civil court action that establishes culpability and gains compensation.
All clubs are reminded that it is the duty of their Rugby Officer to ensure that a Generic Risk Assessment and Match-Safety-Check-List is carried out before each match.